This invention is directed to fiber blends useful as a fiberfill especially in garments.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,137 discloses a batt of crimped hollow polyester fibers to have greater filling power (no-load bulk) and bulk under load than when made from solid polyester fibers.
Research Disclosure Journal (September 1975) Article No. 13717 discloses batts of polyester fiber and a specific low shrinkage binder fiber, poly(ethylene terephthalate/isophthalate), to provide improved stability and handling characteristics for the batt. The use of binder fiber was heretofore applied only to batt of solid polyester fiber because heating the batt to effect bonding between fibers caused the batt to lose filling power, which would be contrary to the reason for using hollow fiber in the first place. For this reason, the batt of hollow fiber was supported by a separate nonwoven fabric to improve the handling of the batt.
The need still existed for batt of both high filling power and improved handling and also for elimination of the expense of the separate fabric support. In the case of the garment fiberfill utility in particular, it was also desired that the batt exhibit low bulk under load so as to give garment containing the batt as fiberfill greater flexibility. For example, at the elbow location of a sleeve, the batt should collapse with as little load as possible to increase the freedom of movement of the arm of the wearer of the garment.